The First Noel
by elactress
Summary: Bernard and OC. Takes place during the first film. I apologize, since I've noticed a lot of people use the name Noel but I did spell it differently! Disclaimer: I don't own The Santa Clause.
1. Silent Night

Excitement hung in the air like the newly fallen snow outside my window. Christmas Eve: The busiest and happiest day of the year. Of course for us elves that meant cramming in as much work as possible and anxiously preparing for Santa's sleigh ride that night. That's right. I'm an elf. When I jumped out of bed that morning, it hadn't even begun to get light out, but there was work to be done. My brown eyes gazed back at me as sat at my mirror and pulled my dark, chocolate tresses over my shoulder, hurriedly brushing them until they shined like polished ebony. I twisted them into a loose braid, tied with a dark green ribbon, and then threw off my nightgown, running to where I had laid my clothes across the chair by my bed.

My shirt was a tight-fitting green tank-top, completely covered in dark green, glittery designs. A dark green ribbon came down from either strap, wrapping around my arms and ending at my wrists. My skirt was a deep red, ending at my knees, with mesh material underneath that made it 'poof' out around me. My shoes were a pair of ankle-high, low-heeled green boots and to complete the outfit, I threw a dark green, velvet cloak over my shoulders. After putting on a pair of sleigh bell earrings and hooking a strand of sleigh bells onto my skirt, I grabbed my conductor's baton and ventured out into the North Pole.

The little village was buzzing with life, even this early in the morning. Christmas lights glowed brighter than ever before and elves were emerging swiftly from their homes, all rushing off to prepare for tonight. The freshly fallen snow crunched beneath my feet and I subconsciously started to hum, twirling my baton with the beat of my steps.

"Hey! Noelle!"

I turned at the sound of my name being called and smiled when I saw Curtis heading towards me.

"Good morning, Curtis. What can I do for you?" I asked him.

"Well, as the Number Two Elf, I've been checking in to make sure everything's on track. Are the Carolers ready to spread holiday cheer tonight?"

"Of course. And I'm just on my way to check Santa's sleigh bells. "

"Have the Elves Undercover all returned safely?"

"Yes, and I'm sending a few down tonight in case there's any trouble."

"You know something, Noelle?"

"What?"

"You're too good at your job."

I laughed and bid him adieu, climbing up the steps to the workshop. Inside, everyone was already hard at work, mostly carrying things from one place to another. I dodged swiftly in between the workers, managing to avoid a crash with the tinsel makers, and slowly made my way towards the kitchen for some much needed breakfast. Though bustling with activity, the kitchen was surprisingly quiet for a Christmas Eve morning.

"Say, why is it so quiet in here?" I asked Patricia, the Head Chef. She nodded towards one of the tables.

"Go on and see for yourself." She said.

Curiosity filled me and as I neared the indicated table, I soon discovered the cause of their silence. There-lying fast asleep with his head on the table-was Bernard. I approached him slowly, almost sorry to wake him as I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, but knowing he would never forgive me if I didn't. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I gently shook him.

"Bernard? Bernard, wake up." I urged him.

He groaned, but did not budge. Smirking at his stubbornness, I took the strand of bells from my skirt. Then, with a flick of the wrist, I released the loud jingling of Christmas bells directly into his ear.

"WAKE UP, BERNARD IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE! THE DAY WILL NOT WAIT WHILE YOU SLEEP OFF THE CONSEQUENCE OF WORKING TOO LATE LAST-"

A firm hand clamped over my mouth and another grabbed my wrist and I realized I was staring into the eyes of an annoyed Bernard.

"Do not..." He said slowly, "…EVER do that again."

"And a Merry Christmas to you to." I replied.

He smirked, then pulled himself to his feet. I followed him quickly, dashing to catch up with my fast-paced best friend as he headed back to the workshop.

"Hey! Hey, wait up!" I called.

He looked back, acknowledging me, but kept up his speed. Eventually catching up, I ran alongside him as he strode down the halls.

"So, are you going to tell me what you were doing up so late last night?" I panted.

"I thought for certain you would have guessed that by now. In case you've forgotten, it's Christmas Eve."

"I'm aware of that, but you have to think of yourself, too. Even if you are the Head Elf."

He stopped, turning to me with a sigh.

"Noelle, my problems are nothing compared to the importance of Christmas. Besides, I know for a fact that you work late all the time."

"True. But at least I know when I need to sleep."

"Noelle, please. Let's not have the long debate today, alright? There's work to be done."

I was about to protest, but was quickly reminded of the task I had at hand.

"Alright, alright." I grimaced. "But you'd better take care of yourself."

"I will."

With that, he turned and hurried off towards Santa's Chambers and I turned and swiftly made my way towards the takeoff site.

XXXX

"Alright, everybody! Listen up!" I called, gaining the attention of the large crowd before me.

"Now, I want you all to take it easy today. Stay out of the cold as much as possible and if you don't have to use your voice, stay silent. It's our job to spread the Christmas spirit and we certainly won't do it with rough voices. Am I understood?"

A chorus of voices responded positively and I nodded.

"Good. Now off with you, there's work to be done!"

The group scattered quickly and I let out a sigh of exhaustion. Looking around the empty room, I slowly sauntered over to the grand piano by the window. Glancing warily at the doorway, I slid onto the bench and traced my fingers over the keys. Then, I began to play.

The first few notes of the intro to 'Silent Night' pierced the silent room and with another quick glance at the doorway, my voice joined in.

_Silent night, holy night_

_All is calm, all is bright_

_Round yon virgin, mother and child_

_Holy infant so tender and mild_

_Sleep in heavenly peace_

_Sleep in heavenly peace_

_Silent night, holy night_

_Shepherds quake at the sight_

_Glories stream from heaven afar_

_Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia_

_Christ the Savior is born_

_Christ the Savior is born_

_Silent night, holy night_

_Son of God, love's pure light_

_Radiant beams from Thy holy face_

_With the dawn of redeeming grace_

_Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth_

_Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth_

I finished the final chord with a slight smile and sat unmoving as silence again filled the room.

"You sing beautifully."

I jumped up in surprise and whipped towards the doorway, my face flushing in embarrassment. It was, of course, Bernard who had spoken and was now leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Holy mistletoe! Don't scare me like that!" I scolded him.

"Sorry, but it's the truth! You have a wonderful voice." He smiled.

I felt myself blushing hard and turned away, keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the piano.

"How long were you standing there?"

"I came in right around the second verse. I was looking for Curtis, but then I heard your voice and I just followed it here." He was suddenly standing right behind me. "You shouldn't be embarrassed by your gift."

"I'm not." I said, turning back to him. "It's just that I'm not that good."

He stared at me incredulously.

"Not that good? Are you kidding me? Noelle, you're far too modest. If you could just hear yourself you wouldn't even believe how fantastic you are!"

"You really mean that?"

He smiled.

"Truly, I do."

As I stared up into his dark eyes, I didn't even realize that we were slowly leaning towards each other until Curtis burst into the room and we leapt apart.

"Bernard! There you are!" He puffed.

"What's going on?" Bernard asked.

"We've got a malfunction in wrapping! The ribbon dispenser is jammed!"

"What?! Well, why in the name of Christmas didn't you say something?! Fetch the mechanic team!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Curtis rushed out of the room.

Bernard turned to me apologetically but I stopped him.

"It's Christmas Eve, get going already!" I told him.

"I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay, okay, now hurry!" I grinned.

He ran out the doorway and I found my heart pounding wildly in my chest as I thought of the event that had just transpired.


	2. Mistletoe

**Hey Everyone! First off, thank you for reading my story! I know it's not fantastic ****. And secondly, I apologize for using the name Noel as many other writers in this category have used that name. And now, Chapter 2!**

_Ding!_

_Ding!_

_Ding!_

Elves raced past me as the clock chimed the hour, signaling Santa's departure. I turned to the carolers and a few of my undercover elves, now dressed in human clothes, and cupped my hand around my mouth.

"Alright, elves, let's move it out! And don't forget! Divide and conquer! No elf gets left behind! Now let's go, go, go!"

I gave the signal and heard the sounds of jet packs firing up. Then, one by one, I watched them shoot off the balcony and up towards the opening. A pang of jealousy stirred within me as I remembered my days as a caroler, but I quickly shook it off and headed back inside, joining the mob that was dashing towards the takeoff site. Upon arriving, I discovered that a large mass was surrounding Santa's sleigh. I stealthily slipped in through the crowd and made my way towards the front, resorting to the occasional shove here and there. When I reached the front, Santa was just climbing into the sleigh, with Bernard standing at his side. Curtis stood directly beside me and gave me an excited smile when he noticed me.

"Another exciting year, huh?" He said, and I nodded.

"I think we're all looking forward to a break."

As I was about to speak again, however, I noticed Santa lean down to tell Bernard something. Whatever it was surprised Bernard, who looked as though he were about to protest, but only nodded grimly, stepping away from the sleigh. With a loud shout and a flick of the reins, the reindeer took off running, and the elves cheered, running out after them as they took to the sky. I was about to join them, but noticed that Bernard hadn't moved, staring out at the Pole with a vacant expression. I approached him quietly, laying hand gently on his arm. Seeing the inquisitive look on my face, he sighed.

"He's not coming back." He said simply.

"What? But he—oh." The realization came to me. Strangely, I didn't feel sad. "Well, I guess we should get ready for the new one."

"Yeah, that's the part I'm afraid of. But, we've done it a million times before. We can do it again. I'll tell the elves. We'll go into welcome mode and then, all that's left to do is wait."

I nodded, turning to go, but Bernard stopped me with a hand on my arm.

"Wait for me in the music room, will you? We've got a tradition to uphold." He said with a grin.

"Of course!" I agreed, a wide smile lighting up my face.

My face flushed in excitement and my heart beat madly as he gave my hand a slight squeeze and went to round up the others. Spinning around towards the workshop, I felt my feet flying beneath me, seeming to move of their own accord. For over a hundred years now, Bernard and I spent every Christmas Eve together: sitting in front of the fireplace, telling stories, drinking cocoa, and naturally, exchanging gifts. It had sparked our friendship into something deeper than either of us would have imagined. I cherished every moment of it. When I entered the music room, I ran to the piano and carefully lifted a small package from inside it. Snapping my fingers, the fireplace roared to life, and the room was lit with Christmas lights hanging from every wall and the mantle above the hearth. I removed my cape and laid it out on the floor, creating a small pallet with the use of a few cushions. The fire was emanating a pleasant heat, and I lowered myself down to watch the flames dance.

I'm not certain how long I was sitting there, but in what seemed like not time at all I felt a hand on my shoulder jolt me back to reality, and I looked up to see Bernard kneeling next to me. He grinned at my startling, and I let out a breath of relief.

"How do you _do_ that?" I asked him as he settled down beside me.

"Do what?"

"Don't give me that innocent look. You somehow manage to sneak up on me at least once every day! I swear you're going to end up giving me a heart attack!"

"Well, someone's a drama queen." He smirked.

I looked at him mischievously and put a hand to my chest.

"Oh no! It's too late!" I wheezed fakely. "Heart. Stopping! Dark…closing…in!"

I collapsed onto my back, beating my chest, and after a moment Bernard's amused face appeared above me.

"This is all your fault you know." I whispered.

"I know."

The mirth in the situation vanished completely as I took in his dark eyes gleaming down at me, warm and filled with nothing but pure emotion. Suddenly afraid, I searched desperately for an escape from my position, finding it in the small package clutched within my hand. I held up the gift in front of my face and watched Bernard bounce back and forth between delight and…._sadness?_ Fortunately, my fears were erased as he laughed lightly reached for the gift. I sat up quickly, holding the gift out of reach and giving him a teasing smile.

"Ah, ah, ah. I believe you must return the favor?" I said, holding my hand out.

"Alright, alright!" He chuckled, leaning back to grab his own present. "Now, let me open yours first."

"What?" I protested. "That's not fair."

"Believe me, I think you'll find your gift worth the wait." He said.

"But….oh, fine. Now go on, open it!" I smiled.

I giggled as he eagerly tore into the wrapping, throwing it aside and opening the box. A grin spread across his face and he removed the item from the box: a dark green hat.

"Do you like it?" I asked. He looked at me.

"Like it? It's perfect!" He laughed.

"Really?"

"Really! I love it, Noelle!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Try it on!" I told him.

He placed the item firmly on top of his head and posed his hand on his chin.

"How do I look?"

"Well, you were right. It's perfect." I grinned. "Alright, now it's my turn."

Bernard relinquished the small package to me and I rid it of its red and silver wrappings, revealing a red velvet box. I slowly opened it and a gasp escaped my lips. Inside, was a ruby snowflake on a thin silver chain, the detail in the craftsmanship unlike anything I'd ever seen before. I looked up at him mouth agape in awe and eyes shining gratefully.

"Bernard…it's beautiful. I don't know what to say!"

Instead of responding, he gently took the necklace from my hand. His eyes asked a silent question and I responded affirmatively, shifting myself so my back was facing him and holding my braid up as he placed the chain gently around my neck. His cool hands on the back of my neck made me shiver and goose bumps arose on my arms. A soft click and I turned back to face him, beaming warmly at him.

"_You're _beautiful, Noelle."

I felt myself blushing furiously as he leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"Merry Christmas."

"A _very_ Merry Christmas." I whispered back, biting my lip nervously as our eyes locked.

The familiar tingle of magic filled the air and looking up, I watched as mistletoe formed above our heads. I smirked.

"Mistletoe? A bit cliché, isn't it?"

He shrugged.

"Maybe."

My stomach fluttered anxiously as I timidly closed the distance between us. Warmth met my lips and gently…I kissed him. Instantly my mind was clouded with bewildered thoughts. This was Bernard. He was my best friend, my most trusted companion; we'd practically grown up together! And yet, despite my hesitations…it felt so right. His lips against mine, sitting together by the fire on a quiet Christmas Eve-it was like being thrust into a storybook. However, the thing about storybooks is that they all come to an end. Sooner or later you have to wake up. This is exactly what happened. My eyes snapped open-I didn't realize they had shut-and I jumped away from Bernard, heart pounding. Guilt and fear filled me as I took in his confused and hurt expression and I bolted to my feet, fleeing the room and leaving the events of that night behind me.


	3. Author's Note

**Hey all! Elactress here. I'm so sorry it's taking me so long to upload the next chapter but I swear it's coming! Writer's block plus the end of the school year equals no time for writing so I hope you can forgive me! Like I said, the next chapter should be coming up soon but I'm considering scrapping this particular story and starting over again. Same characters and same storyline, but different reactions. I'd like your advice on this! Thank you so much for your patience and I hope to hear from you soon!**

**Elactress**


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